


High Protocol

by caribou22



Category: Adam Driver - Fandom, Black Klansman, Dominant - Fandom, Flip Zimmerman - Fandom, Slow Burn - Fandom, Submissive - Fandom
Genre: Bratty Tendencies, Cats are awesome pets, Character has substance, Dirty Language, F/M, Flip is a freak in the sheets, Flip is a sexy detective, Flip is a sweety, Flip is caring, Flip only has eyes for you, Librarian kink, Librarians, Reader is hopeless romantic, Reader is independent, Sarcasm, Sex, Sexy Times, Slow Burn, Smart Is The New Sexy, Smut, Threats of Violence, Violence, detective kink, plot heavy, plz ignore my stupid tags, porn with a plot
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-09-13
Updated: 2021-01-01
Packaged: 2021-03-06 16:34:23
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 6
Words: 13,975
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/26451937
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/caribou22/pseuds/caribou22
Summary: Flip Zimmerman x Reader.You are a young librarian who makes a desperate move to Colorado in order to escape your life and family. You are the new records keeper for the local police precinct, and while it is not everything you ever wished for, it does provide comfort and stability where you need it. You have decided this stability you have created for yourself  is conditional: no intimate connections, selfishness is encouraged, and the only opinion that matters is your own.Can you keep to your own conditions when a certain detective comes barging into your life? Or will you submit to his high protocol?(I do not own the character Flip Zimmerman or Ron Stallworth from BlackKKlansman.)
Relationships: Flip Zimmerman/Reader, Flip Zimmerman/You
Comments: 14
Kudos: 47





	1. A New Life

**Author's Note:**

> Hello lovely people! This is my first fanfic and I am so nervous. This story will be slow burn and smut heavy with warnings at the beginning of each chapter. They will be specific and include trigger warnings. The reader is over the age of 18. More specifically I have written her to be a college graduate at the age of 22-25. 
> 
> Since our main character is you, the reader. I have tried to keep her as ambiguous as possible. When I write about the reader being compared to Flip in terms of smallness, this is only because Flip is a huge dude and would make anyone feel small. So she isn't skinny/petite/etc (if you are that's perfectly fine), its just to show how dominating he is. 
> 
> Flip Zimmerman is not my original character. 
> 
> This is a work in progress so this page will be updated as I continually write chapters. 
> 
> I am super excited and dedicated to this piece. I have been on Wattpad for years and never had the guts to actually write a story. 
> 
> This story may get lost in the storm of all the other Adam Driver character based stories out there, but this will not discourage me from writing it. Even if I am only doing so for a few people. 
> 
> So if you are still here, thank you for reading and being on this adventure with me. I hope you enjoy the story and please do not be afraid to grant criticism. Either by comments or personal messages. 
> 
> Lots of love, -C. 
> 
> Here are some warnings to start with. Again, these will also be at the beginning of each chapter as needed. 
> 
> MENTIONS OF:  
> -ABUSE FROM FAMILY MEMBERS AND ABUSE FROM PAST SIGNIFICANT OTHER. BOTH PHYSICAL AND VERBAL. 
> 
> -HEAVY SMUT. 
> 
> -READER IS A SUB IN SMUT SITUATIONS AND FLIP IS DOM.

The weather in Colorado Springs was more brutal than you could have ever imagined.

You thought moving to a mountainous city would be this wonderful winter wonderland with snow, skiing, and hot chocolate everyday. 

Instead it was a toe numbing and runny nose nightmare with no end in sight.

You had taken a job here for the experience and while the pay was minimal, it was still far better than anything back home. It was exciting moving somewhere that had seasons and character. It was a stark contrast to the life you lived in southern Louisiana. The weather there included humidity you could cut with a knife, never ending summers, and sweat guaranteed year-round.

Your new home was not everything you had wanted when you imagined running away. Younger you had dreamed of escaping Caneville and going to a whole other country like England or Ireland and falling in love like they do in Jane Austen novels (or at least in the movie adaptations you watched). Colorado City would have to do for now and falling in love was out of the picture.

You had been living here for only a month. The job was a modest position as the records librarian for the local police precinct. And boy was the place chaotic.  
Your jaw and stomach dropped simultaneously the first day you arrived and got a look at your new work space. 

When you walked through the doors to the records room it appeared more like a jungle of stationary. It seems your predecessor did not have a clue on how to organize a single damn thing, or just didn’t care enough to try. You internally shuddered at the thought of what their house looked like.

Papers were strewn across the wide space on tables and shelves, and boxes sat in high stacks that almost reached the ceiling.  
You wondered how in the hell you were going to fix this mess, but at the same time you became slightly giddy with excitement to make the room yours.  
Luckily, you were given an assistant, a rookie cop named Matty Jenkins.

He was sweet and did everything you told him with urgency which pleased you. You desperately needed his muscle to move around boxes you couldn’t move yourself and boy did he look good doing it. He was only nineteen, a football star from a small town outside of the city and fresh out of the police academy. His was built well with muscles tugging through his uniform and his black hair was short in a classic crew cut style. He looked like any typical wide-eyed rookie and often spoke to you about how excited he was to be one finally, even if he had to start off doing “grunt” work. You glared at him when he called it that considering this was your career at the moment.

Matty would have had fifteen-year-old you drooling, but the older and wiser you looked at him more like a little brother. He was so young and had so much hope for the world. You worried he would become hard and cold like the men you had been raised with, but a larger part prayed he would stay this bright-eyed kid who wanted to help people.  
It took three long and suffering weeks to finish organizing the room, but after Matty and you both decided to celebrate with drinks at a local bar. It was nice to have a friend. Even if he was a bit of a block head jock. He told me his life-story of being an all-american boy with a perfect family: mom, dad, little sister, and golden retriever to top it all off. He drank beer after beer until he was pouring his heart to you. Going on about how much he loved the force, but at the same time how sad he was that he had to leave his family.  
You envied him in this manner. What did it feel like to have a tight knit family that loved you unconditionally? 

Matty questioned you all evening on your family and past. You were able to dodge most of the questions, and blatantly lied to him when he pressed you for answers. While you enjoyed his company, Matty would never know the real you. No one here ever would. 

Soon the records room begun to get an heavy influx of police officers looking for files or dropping them off to be refiled. Now instead of taking a day to find a file, it only took you a minute. This made the day to day so much easier and work became an monotonous routine. Boring at times, but it would be there every morning and the consistency gave you comfort.

More often than not you would get odd looks from the male cops as the strolled in and saw you behind the counter. A few would get the courage to actually hit on you and ask for your number, while others just stared a hole into you. You stayed polite, declined the offers of drinks or pool after work, and quickly got them their files. The attention they gave you made your skin crawl at times; it was as if they saw you as a shiny new piece of meat and not a human being.

You fell into a comfortable routine after a while. Home was cozy and your cats kept you company. Work was a well-oiled machine thanks to your efforts in organizing the hell out of that room. You would not let anybody into it who did not know what the hell they were doing. So more often than not it was just you and Matty closely working together throughout the day.  
\-----------------  
You cursed yourself for not investing in some good snow boots as you walked up the hill to the precinct. Your old suede boots were soaked, along with your socks. The snow heavily coated the ground and was mushy in many places, noisy cars rumbled past you on the slick road and you got lost in your thoughts as you walked up the sidewalk.  
Christmas was approaching fast, and it weighed on you conscious that you would not be home for the first time in your life. You had left abruptly when you found that you had gotten the job. You were more than ready to get out of Caneville and it only took you a week to pack your car and leave for good. You left your shitty family and friends and escaped to a place where no one knew you or your family's names.

Leaving was the most freeing thing you had ever done for yourself. You didn't get anxious of what people would think, you didn't take in account anyone's feelings or opinions, and you chose yourself over everyone else.

You felt heartless as you drove off that rainy day. You hadn’t told a soul where you were going, not even your mother, in fear they would follow you and drag you back. It was a known that people in our family never left Caneville or surrounding area for good. If someone went off to college, they would be back soon enough and filling a job for some old coot who should have retired long ago. It was as if the town trapped your soul and the only hope of getting it back was returning for good. But you were never going to return, at least not while you were alive and breathing.

You were pulled from your guilt when suddenly your ass met with the cold hard ground. Your head connected with the pavement and a sharp ringing started in your ears. It felt as if your brain was vibrating in your skull and you could hear the blood rushing around in your head. The snow was soaking through your skirt and jacket, your head was beginning to pound, and it seemed as if the sky was growing farther and farther away.

Yelling soon invaded your senses and a large figure stood above you. You were sure it was God. Maybe he had come down to collect you and would forgive you for never believing in him. Instead the figure came into focus and he looked better than God. His short wavy hair framed his strong face perfectly and his hazel eyes were searching your face with a worried look. You could feel his hand on your cheek and he began patting it softly to get your attention.

"Hey! Hey! Can you keep your eyes open? Can you look at me?"

You groaned and tried your best to open your eyes fully. "Please. Stop. Yelling.", you quietly begged him. The sunlight burned your eyes as you slowly peeled them open and finally got a better look at the man. He was fucking gorgeous. You thought maybe the devil had come to collect you instead, and you were perfectly okay with it.

You heard him chuckle deeply at that moment and wondered if you had said those words aloud. The smirk on his face told you enough, future you would have to remember to shut up when disoriented.

“I’m sorry”, he apologized quietly, “I was just trying to make sure you weren’t dead. Do you think you can sit up?”

You wiggled your toes and fingers lightly to make sure you had some feeling in them and nodded a small yes to him. One of his large hands slide behind your head and cradled your skull with delicate movements, while the other slipped under your waist and held the small of your back. You braced yourself against the pavement and began lifting yourself up with the strangers help until you were sitting upright.

The blood that had swarmed your head was making you feel woozy and nauseous, but with a few deep breaths you were able to steady yourself. You groaned as your headache began to grow.

“This is what I get for not paying attention while I walk”, you groaned as you settled your head into your hands. You felt his warm hands leave your body and for a second you wish he had not pulled away.

You internally scolded yourself, “Stop, this is no time to start feeling lonely”.

“I think I should get you to a doctor. You probably have a concussion. Do you think you can stand?”

You looked up to see him crouched down in front of you, his eyes still heavy with concern.

“Uh, no. No doctor. I’ll be fine. Just need to walk it off.”

Doctors scared you. Yes, it was a childish fear, but nonetheless, you did not feel like sitting in a sickly smelling doctors office that you could not afford.  
The Devil gave you a disapproving look, but luckily did not argue with you.

You would have to go home and change your clothes, the snow soaked you to the bone and it was making your ass numb. Then you began to shiver, almost chattering your teeth, but withholding it so you wouldn’t alarm the giant who was helping you.

You would have to go in and talk to Gary, your boss, first and explain. You didn’t want to start leaving a bad impression by not showing up or explaining what had happened.  
A large lightly freckled hand appeared in front of your face and you placed yours in it diligently. The stranger slowly lifted you up on your feet and his other hand shot out to your hip to help you balance yourself.

His hand felt as if it was burning a hole into your side.

Part of you wanted to lean into it, while the other was blaring the alarms to evacuate as soon as possible. You decided to listen to the latter part of yourself.

“Well I’m not just going to let you walk off and potentially hurt yourself some more. Where are you headed?” he asked you gruffly. His hand was still at your hip and it was making it hard for you to think. Slowly, you pulled away from him and crossed your arms against your chest.

“Into the precinct. I work here”.

“No way”, he smiled, “I know everyone in this building, and I have never laid my eyes on you before. I would have definitely remembered if I had”.

You scoffed, “Well I do. I’m gonna take a wild guess and say you’ve never collected your own files from the records room then?” you shot back sarcastically. Your head was not in the right place to be flirted at right now.

Something twinkled in his eye when you said it, but he quickly replaced it with a blank stare.

“You’re telling me you work in the dusty basement that hasn’t been organized since JFK was in office?”

“It is not dusty now since it has an appropriate keeper. Which would be me yes”.

He continued to stare at you, it was like he was searching for something inside of you. Maybe something to give him an indication of what kind of person you were. He would fail, you purposely dressed plain and simple so you wouldn’t attract attention. There was no jewelry adorning your appendages and none of your tattoos were visible. Your hair was placed in a simple bun and your face was bare. You were a plain Jane. Forgettable. Just the way you wanted.

The staring became uncomfortable, so you looked away.

“Do you need the Devil to carry you in or do you think you can walk?” he asked, his voice slightly deeper now.

Your face fell in annoyance. “No, I do not need to be carried in like a child. I can walk perfectly fine”.

You straightened out your skirt and slowly swayed by him trying not to further embarrass yourself. Trying to prove your point  
Your legs felt like well done noodles as you walked up to the doors and pushed them open. You could feel the embarrassment on your face as it burned bright red and it took more effort than you had anticipated to look normal while walking.

You heard him chuckle again, most likely laughing at your efforts to walk normally. Then his presence was closer, looming behind you, and he made the hairs on the back of your neck stand up.

Then, the devil decided to speak, “Do I even get a thank you?”.

You could hear the smugness in his voice, and it pissed you off. Why couldn’t he just call you an ungrateful bitch under his breath and leave you alone? That’s what a normal man would do.

You whipped around, stumbling slightly, took a deep breath, and plastered the sweetest smile on your face, “Thank you sir for being a decent enough human being and helping me get off the dirty ass pavement. How can I ever repay you?”

You didn’t let him answer and briskly walked off to your boss’s office.

Being a bitch was better than playing nice in your new rule book. 

///////////////////  
yes, no, maybe so?  
Would love some feedback  
Lots of love -C.


	2. Angels and Devils

Your ass and head throbbed simultaneously as you sat in the tub and tried to soak away the pain of this morning’s tumble. This bath was the best idea you had all week. 

You had gotten lucky to have a large claw foot tub in your tiny house, more often than not they were ripped out during remodeling. Usually replaced by smaller more economical ones that could barely fit a toddler, let alone a full-grown woman. 

Bubbles surrounded your aching body and your limbs tingled. Your body was having a grim time adapting to the frigid weather here. You had no experience with snow or temperatures below thirty degrees. Louisiana’s weather barely dipped under seventy degrees for autumn, and winter only lasted a few weeks. Your toes seemed to be in a constant state of numbness and your nose was painted scarlet for the majority of the day. It was only a matter of time before a cold would set into your body.

Your encounter with the Devil this morning replayed over and over in your head as you laid there. It was like he appeared out of thin air. You did not remember seeing anyone else on the sidewalk or near your vicinity. You would have to be more cautious of your surroundings next time. It was dangerous to daydream nowadays with all the crazy people out there. 

It dawned on you that you never got his name. Maybe you would ask Matty about him tomorrow? “Hey Matty, do you know a tall dark and handsome man with a strangely attractive large nose and hands the size of baseball mits? Asking for a friend”. 

On second thought, maybe you shouldn’t ask him. 

It was best to keep him a fleeting memory. Hopefully, it could stay that way. 

Why had this man gotten into your head? Its not like he even did anything spectacular. He just helped you off the ground after you busted your ass. That was it. 

There was no need to keep thinking about the tingly feeling you felt in your cunt when his excessively large fingers gripped your hip. Or to keep thinking about the look he was giving you, as if he were undressing you with his eyes. 

God, you were such a hypocrite. Other men ogle you and your skin crawls. But he does and you tingle with delight. His presence was so intimidating, it was like he knocked the breath out of you by just standing there. Dominant and firm. 

You pondered on that thought a little longer than you should have, and it made a warm feeling flood your clit. It was hard to deny his presence turned you on.   
It had been months since you were with another man willingly. Masturbating was rare when you felt like it, and that was not often. 

Why him? Why had your subconscious picked him? Because he picked your sorry ass off of the sidewalk? 

Pathetic. You needed to do better. You would do better. 

You just prayed that he would stay away from you so you could. 

The next morning you awoke to a sore head and butt. Perfect. 

You dragged yourself out of the warm bed, your cats meowing angrily in protest as you did. They were not used to this freezing weather either and were depending on your warmth. 

“Sorry guys, moms got to go and make money to keep you fatty’s fed”. 

Yes, you talked to your cats, any sane person does. 

You groaned loudly when you saw your reflection in the bathroom mirror. Hair was tangled and frizzing, eyes puffy and red with dark circles forming, and you spied a large pimple forming on your chin. A tell-tale sign your period was on its way. Yippy. 

It didn’t take long for you to brush through your hair and pull it into a tight bun. You smoothed out the frizz and felt satisfied with it. You didn’t bother with makeup nowadays. It was expensive and you were never very good at it, but you envied women who were blessed with artistic skills to pull it off. Plus, if you looked like shit people might leave you alone more. 

You decided against your trusty suede boots today since they treated you so badly the day before. Maybe it was time to throw them in the trash…

You slipped on a pair of low-heeled Mary janes and felt satisfied. You would just have to pay attention to where you walked today. Shouldn’t be too hard. 

The road was slick and snowy as you drove to work. You desperately needed new tires and it wouldn’t be long before one popped or caused you to skid off the road, but new tires cost money that you did not possess. 

Luckily today you made it up the sidewalk and into the building without a slipup. You felt relieved as the warm air hit your face and the familiar scent of coffee wafted through the air. 

This place was beginning to feel like a second home. The wallpaper was a deep mustard yellow and the blue tile plastered to the walls next to it made it feel a bit like a dirty mental institution. Like your own little psych ward. It was a pretty close comparison considering all the yelling that came from prisoners and detainees. 

You strolled downstairs to the records room and unlocked the door. Walking into the room always made you smile. It was such a mess when you first started, but now it was your beautifully organized baby. 

Your name being yelled pulled you out of your happy place. You turned around to see Matty grinning as he walked down the hall. 

“Good morning boss!”, he grinned widely and threw up his arms to bring you into a hug. Matty’s hugs weren’t atrociously bad so you tolerated them. 

“How many times do I have to tell you that I am not your boss?”.

“That’s rich considering you boss me around all day”. 

You scoffed loudly, “I do not boss you around all day, I simply give you guidance as your older coworker and ask you to lift things that my tiny woman muscles can’t”. You gave him a cheeky smile and turned to walk to the counter. 

“Come on, don’t lie, you like having power over me. I think you get turned on by it,”. 

You turned around with a surprised and offended look on your face and he laughed loudly. 

The surprise abruptly faded when someone cleared their throat. 

You and Matty whipped your heads to look at the source and you lock eyes with the devil. He had a smug look on his face. 

Shit. How long had he been standing there listening?

“I never pegged you as the dominate type”, the devil grinned slowly at you. 

Double shit. 

“Flip my man! What in the hell are you doing down here?”, Matty said as he cheerfully greeted the intruder. 

Flip? His name was Flip? What kind of name was Flip? It sounded like it was out of one of those westerns your dad used to watch when you were growing up. 

“Just came down to get a file on a toad, I also heard the place was cleaned up so I had to come get a look for myself,” his eyes shot over to you again as he said it. He was giving you the same stare he had yesterday after he helped you up. You stared back in hopes he would back down and be intimidated. If he was, he didn’t care.

“Oh crap where are my manners, Flip let me introduce you to my boss, she is an absolute angel”. 

An angel huh? Far from it. 

Matty gave your name to Flip and vice versa. Flip held out his hand for you to shake. 

You cautiously looked between Flip and his hand but decided to stay polite and take it. 

His hand enveloped yours gently and gave it a slight squeeze. You returned the gesture and went to take your hand back; Flip tightened his grip for a second before releasing it back to you. 

What in the hell was this guy’s problem? 

“We actually met yesterday, just not as formal. I had the honor of helping your boss off the sidewalk yesterday after she slipped on some ice”. He smiled smugly after he said it, like he knew you didn’t tell Matty about your encounter. 

“Oh shit I totally forgot about that, are you still okay? You didn’t tell me Flip helped you out there”, Matty said and gave you a worried look. 

That’s because it was on a need to know basis Matty. 

“I am fine. I guess I didn’t feel the need to say anything about it”, you said grimly. 

You gave an uncomfortable smile to the both of them and decided it was time to take your leave. 

“Do you have a name so I can get you your file?”.

Flip gave you the name and you practically ran around the counter to collect it for him. The sooner he was out of your office, the sooner you could go back to acting like he didn’t exist. 

You found it easily and walked up to hand it to him. You stopped short when you looked up and realized Matty had fled the scene. Damn kid. Why did he leave you alone now of all times?

“Here’s your file. Do you need anything else?”, you handed it to him and crossed your arms over your chest. 

He shook his head no. 

“Goodbye then”, you said quickly and turned on your heel. 

“Wait”.

You stopped. 

Without turning around, you asked him what he wanted. 

“Let me take you to dinner”. 

Dinner? Was he serious? You couldn’t see his face to see if he was joking, but his clear tone indicated that he probably wasn’t. 

You turned to face him and almost crashed into his chest. When did he get so close? 

Looking up at him you responded firmly, “I can’t”. 

His eyes searched your face. “Can’t or won’t?”. 

You could feel the air being sucked out of the room. His presence was overwhelming you. Dominating you. You wished he wasn’t so close. 

You took a step back and responded, “Can’t. It’s a cardinal rule of mine, I don’t date coworkers”.

He challenged you by taking a step forward. “Rules huh? Well technically we only work in the same building, so its not like you’d be dating a coworker. Just a detective from upstairs”. 

Detective huh? He didn’t act like it. 

“Same thing in my book”, you retorted and took a step back, again. 

And again, he took a step forward. “You’ll have to give me a copy then so I can learn these rules”. 

Ugh. Why wouldn’t he just drop it? Why is he pushing so hard for this? What is his game? 

Your last step backward caused you to back into the counter. He proceeded to take his last step forward, and you were trapped. 

Flip placed his hands flat on the counter, locking you in-between his arms. He leaned into you until he was able to look into your eyes. 

His hazel eyes were beautiful and alluring, like a predator. You were frozen with confusion and the room began to become unbearably hot. An odd feeling flooded your chest, not fear, but a warm aura that made your nipples tighten and head dizzy. His smell was assaulting your nose, a mixture of tobacco and mint, and your senses were rapidly becoming overwhelmed. 

Flip said your name aloud again, but it was more like a whisper. As if he was testing it out on his tongue. The heaviness of the air made you grip the counter for support. He raised his hand to your face and pushed a lose strand of hair behind your ear. 

“I’ll see you soon, angel”. 

He turned his back and walked out of the room. 

You took a deep breath of fresh air and sighed. 

We’ll see about that, devil.


	3. Landslide

T/W: Detailed flashback of physical violence by father, reader is child. Character asking reader to “smile for him” and just being a gross man. 

Flip had you looking over your shoulder every time you stepped into the precinct. A part of you was looking to make sure he couldn’t back you into a corner again, while the other side of you was itching to just get a glance at him. Maybe if you just saw him from afar it would scratch the itch. 

No. No. No.

No scratching itches and no seeing Flip. 

It had been a week since he trapped you in your office and asked you to dinner. 

You often caught yourself daydreaming about his smell, the way he pushed your hair back, his hazel eyes, the way he said your name, and his warm body hovering over yours. The hopeless romantic in you was vying for some sunlight and begged you to feed into your fantasies. Unfortunately, she would stay locked up and in the dark. 

You found yourself especially focused on how massive his frame was compared to yours. When he trapped you, it was like he was swallowing you whole. 

Sometimes you wished he would have. Then you wouldn’t be in this position of want. 

You had never been in the presence of someone like him. Sure, there were men who had made their dominance known by brute force and ego, but none of them walked into a room and made everyone stand at attention. None of them did it naturally. 

He knew the effect he had on you. And you knew that’s why he was staying away from you. Trying to build the itch inside of you until you sought him out. 

Well you wouldn’t. You had to stick to your plan. If you didn’t then what was all this for? You might as well just go back home, get knocked up by some farm boy and be a slave for your kids and husband. 

This new life was for you god damnit. Not a fucking man. You wouldn’t be someone’s bitch again and forget yourself. You couldn’t fail when you had just begun. Then everyone would be right. 

What if you could have him just once? Let him take the edge off, get rid of the mystery of it all… 

No, stop. No having Flip. He wasn’t a goal to be had. He was an annoyance. An roadblock to bigger things. 

Or what if he wasn’t interested anymore…. did you care if he wasn’t? 

Yes. You did care. You wanted him to be in pain like you were. You wanted him itching to see you, needing to see you. Thinking about your smell and body just like you were thinking about his. 

You were pulled out of your internal self-chastising when you heard the blinds smack against the door as it swung open. Your heart fell into your stomach. Was it him?  
You slowly closed the box you were lazily organizing and proceeded to walk up to the counter. 

A gruff voice calls out, “Hello? Anyone here?”. 

Thank God. It was not Flip. Just another officer. 

You picked up your pace and greeted your guest. 

“Hello, what can I get for you today?”

He turned to the sound of your voice and his eyes grew in surprise. 

He grinned widely, “Hello to you too lovely”. 

Perfect. Another one. 

You blankly stared at him, not responding to his unwanted pet name, “What do you need?”. 

He placed his hands onto the counter and leaned closer to you, “Awww come on, can’t take a compliment? That’s okay, I get it, you’re shy. How about you just smile for me then? Do it lovely, smile for Andy”. 

God you wanted to barf. This was the worst one yet. You opened your mouth to respond but he cut you off. 

“You know I heard there was a lovely little lady hidden down here, but honestly I didn’t believe it. Why would they hide such a beauty down in this dingy place? You should be upstairs, on display for us officers”.

Please kill me now. 

The urge to curse him out was becoming too overwhelming. Your blood was boiling, and you could feel your cheeks become flushed with anger. Who in the hell was this motherfucker? Asking you to smile for him? You’d rather throw yourself off a bridge. Or him. 

You took a deep breath to calm yourself. Don’t make a scene now. Don’t let this asshole ruin your place here. You liked your job far more than the urge to throw yourself over the counter and tear his eyes out. 

“I am only going to ask one more time. What. Do. You. Want?”, you made sure to keep your tone flat as possible, and especially made sure to frown while doing so.  
Andy didn’t like your unvarying response. His eyes scrunched in anger. 

Great. Here we go. 

His voice got low and threatening, “You’ll learn your place around here soon enough you little bitch”. 

Doubt it you shrimp dick motherfucker. 

He stormed out of the room and slammed the door behind him, the blinds bouncing off the glass as he did so. 

His empty threat didn’t scare you. You had been told worse back home, and those threats weren’t empty at all.

You’d been dragged by your hair the first time you tested the theory. You were eleven when your father warned you about playing with the stereo in his truck, he threatened to beat your ass when you got home. Younger you had thought it was an empty threat.

You had seen him do it to your brothers, but they were boys who needed to be toughened up, and you were his little fragile girl. Turns out that did not matter as much as you thought. 

When you arrived home, he swung open the truck door, grabbed a fistful of your hair and dragged you into the house. The lashing was brutal since he used the buckle of the belt. You cried and screamed the whole time wondering what had changed, when did you stop being his little girl? What did you do? Why had such a small thing like fiddling with the radio set him off? 

You ran to your mother after he finished. She looked down on you with empty eyes when you clutched her legs. No empathy for you, she looked at you like you were not even her daughter. Dead eyes, like her soul was gone. 

My father only got worse after that. A switch had flipped inside of him and he never turned it off. 

This was all in the past now, he would never lay a hand on you again. 

“You know you should really stop daydreaming while on the clock”.

You screamed and turned to see Matty who was standing behind you with a lopsided grin on his face trying not to laugh. 

“Jesus Christ on a stick! Matty you can’t just sneak up me like that!”, you yelled at him. 

“But it is so much fun to see your reaction. Do you know you have a very animated face? It’s like you’re begging to be messed with”.

“Just because I have funny reactions doesn’t mean you should keep doing it you asshole. One day I’m gonna drop dead from fright and it will be your fault!”. 

“Oh come you are being so dramatic boss, you’re way too young to just drop dead”.

You glared at him and turned to walk to your desk. 

“Hey, did you say something to that Andy guy to piss him off? He walked past me on the way out with a weird look on his face and told me to fuck off when I told him good morning”. 

“I just didn’t play into his fantasy that every woman is here to smile and entertain him. He stormed off and didn’t even get the file he came for. The asshole even threatened me”.

“What?! Are you gonna report him?”. 

“Report him? I don’t know. Honestly, I didn’t even think about that”.

You didn’t want to report him. The woman was rarely believed in these situations. You were sure he would worm his way out of it and make you look like the crazy one, so you would just brush it off for now. 

“Well I will do it for you then. He can’t just come in here and threatened you like that”.

Why is Matty getting so worked up over this?

“Matty, no. Shit like this happens. It’s better to just let it go. His threats are empty. Believe me I know”.

“I’m serious. What if he does try something? I heard he does crazy things when people piss him off”, he gave you a concerned look and crossed his arms over his chest.  
“Then I guess I’ll just have to call you to come and save me”, you winked at him and noticed the faintest blush appear on his cheeks. 

He rolled his eyes, “Will you let me know if he does anything else?”.

“I pinky promise I will tell you if he is an asshole again”, you held out your left pinky to him. He took his and wrapped it around yours. It was settled. You knew it was childish, but hopefully it would make him drop it. His chivalry was sweet, and unneeded.

“There, feel better?”, you asked with a sweet smile. 

“A little. Well, I actually came down to tell you I won’t be here today. I’m finally getting some field action!”. 

“That is amazing”, you cheered to him, “I told you, now you won’t be stuck down here with me forever. And soon you’ll be a full-fledged officer”.  
“Hey this place isn’t so bad with you around. I feel bad for leaving you alone though”.

“Matty, do not feel bad for me. Besides, I am sure they will replace you with another young and buff rookie”, you grinned at him.

He pushed you playfully, “But they will never be as witty as me. Admit it boss, I’ll always be your favorite”.

“Hmmm I don’t know buddy….”, you teased him, and he glared back, “but yes, you will always be my favorite rookie”. 

Matty gave you a wide smile and turned to leave. 

They grow up so fast. How was the time going to pass now with him gone? 

The rest of the day passed by terribly. It was only the first day of Matty gone and you wondered if it would get any better. Other officers passed through the room to pick up or drop off files, but it was quick work to look for or refile them. Using your brain wasn’t really needed. You tidied up some areas of the office and moved things around just to keep your hands busy. 

Five o’clock finally rolled around and you internally cheered. 

You threw your coat and scarf on quickly while you rushed to the door. The faster you got home, the faster you could relax and get a drink in your hand. 

The wintry weather smacked you in the face as you pulled open the door. It was not a pleasant feeling, but the crisp winter air did make up for it. You couldn’t get enough of the smells here. 

The weather wasn’t bogged down by humidity and heat, everyday smelled different and fresh. 

You thought back to the first day you got here. Winter was beginning and the air was so refreshing that you just stood there taking deep breaths of it. You still do this every now and again, especially when you become overwhelmed or anxious. It had become a great comfort. 

As you walked up to your car you examined the tires to make sure they weren’t flat and ready for the trip home. Your little house was nearly thirty minutes from work and getting a flat tire on a country road was not ideal. Especially with no one around to help. 

You felt satisfied with their condition, hopped in the driver’s seat and turned on the engine. After it warmed up and the radio was blaring to your liking, you began the commute home. 

The snow was coming down heavy and visibility was getting worse the more you drove. Driving in the snow was never your favorite, but you didn’t really have a choice at this point. It wasn’t like the bus drove by your house, and taxis would cost more than you could ever make. 

You drove slow along the country toads and sang along to the tunes playing on the local radio station. A song by Fleetwood Mac had come on and you belted along with Stevie Nicks the whole time. 

“Well I’ve been afraid of changingggggggg, cause I’ve built my life around you, but time makes you bolder, even children get older and I’m getting older toooooo”, you sang loudly. 

POP! 

A hissing sound filled the air and you felt one of your tires go flat underneath you. 

Fuck. 

You slowly dragged over to the side of the road and got out of your car to inspect the tire. The snow fell heavily as you shuffled over to it, crouching down you looked at your pathetic flat tire and groaned loudly. A large carpenters nail was sticking out of its tread. The universe really seemed to hate you lately. 

This is just what you needed. A flat tire on an empty road and miles away from home. With the heavy snow and your frozen hands, there was no way you would be able to get the spare on and live to see another day. 

At this point you had two options. Hitchhike the next few miles home or wait in your car for someone to pass. 

You heard an engine grumble behind you and whipped around, a truck! Maybe your luck was getting better. You prayed they would stop. 

You hurriedly scurried to the side of the road and waved your hands to get their attention. The truck began to slow and pull up next to you.

Please don’t be a serial killer, please don’t be a serial killer, please don’t be a serial killer. 

A figure on the other side of the window leaned over to the passenger’s side and popped open the door. You pulled it open, a waft of warm air mixed with cigarette smoke hit your face, and you locked eyes with your savior. 

“Hello angel”. 

Double fuck.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I will be editing chapters 1-3 to adjust some grammar and wrinkles. Chapter 4 should be up by Friday 09/18.   
> Lots of love -C.


	4. Let Me Take Care of You

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> (9/25) I am not entirely happy with chapter 5 of High Protocol, so I will be postponing publishing it. I only want to publish work that is sound.   
> Also, I have no idea if anyone reads these, but if you are here, hello! Hopefully it will be up by Saturday (9/26).   
> Lots of love. -C

Flip. 

“Are you going to get in the car or just freeze to death out there?”

You weighed your options. If you got in the car there would be warmth and eventually home, and if you didn’t get in the car most likely frost bite and the flu. 

Fuck it, your toes were more important than avoiding Flip at this point. 

You pulled yourself into the passenger seat and slammed the door. 

Warmth enveloped you and you nearly moaned aloud. You shoved your hands in front of the heaters and rubbed them together. Your body was thanking you. 

You looked over to Flip to see him staring at you with a curious look. 

“Give me a break, I’m not used to this frigid weather. My fingers feel like popsicles and my ass is frozen.”

He put the truck in park and began to pull off his coat. 

“What-t are you doing?”, you asked him with chattering teeth. 

“Your lips are blue, and your coat is pathetic. I’ll be fine without mine”. 

He held the coat up for you to put your arms through. You eyed the coat, Flip, and then the coat again. It did look pretty damn warm. 

You submitted to his offer with a small nod. You slipped your arms through the corduroy jacket and tightly pulled it around you. The coat was absolutely massive. You snuggled yourself into it, took a deep breath, and entered a state of bliss. It smelled like a better version of Flip. The version you had gotten in the records room was quick and fleeting, but this was deep and worn in. The tobacco and mint smell were ever present, but now you could smell the faintness of the laundry soap mixed with Flip’s natural musk. It soothed you to the bone. 

Flip jumped out of the car and you were confused. What was he doing? 

You quickly cranked down the window to shout at him, “Flip it’s a flat tire! It’s useless to change it in this weather!” 

He dismissed you with a wave of his hand and pulled open the front passenger door, he was looking for something intently in your car. His head popped back up and he slammed the door close. Once he became visible again you saw that he was holding something in his left hand. 

Your purse. 

He really went out into the blizzard to get your purse for you. 

You shouldn’t have forgotten it in there in the first-place dumbass.

Flip ran in front of the truck and yanked open the driver’s door. He slid into his seat and tossed your purse next to you. 

“How did you know—”

“I figured most women have a purse, and I never see you without yours at the precinct”.

What did he mean? I haven’t seen him at all in the past week. Had he been watching me at work? 

“Thank you.” 

He gave you a curt nod, “The snow is too thick to get your tire changed tonight and I doubt a tow will come in this weather. You’ll have to wait until it thaws out tomorrow. If it does at all.”

“Shit. Just what I needed. More costs.” 

“Where do you live?”

“A couple of miles up the road, it’s off of Harrel drive.”

“Mmm.” 

Flip shifted the car into drive and the two of you slowly chugged along the thick, snow ridden, road to your house. Visibility was low so Flip drove slow through the powder soft roads. 

He didn’t say anything more as you drove along the winding path. Making small talk wasn’t your forte and you got the feeling it wasn’t his either. Oddly enough you felt comfortable in the cab with him. Safe. Especially wrapped in his coat. 

“You know you should really get some better clothes. Someone won’t always be out here to save you if you get stranded again.”

“Thanks for that astute observation. I need money to buy clothes, and money is a thing I do not have. I was lucky enough to find these. Why are you all the way out here anyways?”  
“I was working.”

“Working? What could be all the way out here for a detective?”

“I am afraid that is classified angel”, he smirked at you. 

You rolled your eyes. “Whatever Satan.”

The weather was getting worse the more you drove. Snow was piling up on the roads and forming in high mounds. 

“This snowstorm is worse than they said it would be. You’re lucky I found you when I did”, he said as he peered through the windshield. 

“Yeah, lucky me.”

You saw that you were getting closer to your house and directed Flip to its exact location. He gently pulled into the driveway and placed the car into park. You looked around to see inches of snow surrounding each house and on the road. 

There was no way Flip could drive through this. Should you invite him in? For your conscious at least?

“Look, Flip, I would feel terrible if you got stranded out here by taking me home. Do you want to come in for a cup of coffee until the snow lets up? As a thank you. And an apology.” 

Flip looked over at you with a confused look on his face, “An apology for what exactly?”

“For not being nicer to you the day you helped me off the sidewalk”. 

A look of realization flooded his face. He looked down at his hands in his lap and smiled. 

“I accept your apology, and a cup of coffee.”

Flip. Flip in your house. Flip and you alone in your house. 

It’ll be fine.

Right? 

You braced yourself for the freezing air as you opened the truck door. The wind and snow whipped your face as you jumped out of the truck. You landed in a good five inches of snow and you felt it seeping into your shoes. 

A large hand gripped your upper arm and you looked up to see Flip. He pulled you close and threaded his arm around your waist as he hurriedly walked to the front door. He held you close to his side and guided your body with his up the path. His body heat flowed into your side and you felt a wave electricity course through your body. It knocked the air out of you and made your cunt clench in want. 

You shook your head to gain your composure and mirror Flip’s movements. Once to the front door he shielded you so you would have a better chance of unlocking it.  
Once open Flip took ahold of your hips from behind and quickly guided you into your house. The door slammed behind the both of you once safely inside. You felt against the wall for the light switch and gave it a quick flick. Light flooded the room and you moved to walk forward, but Flip tightened his grip on your hips and pulled you back until your body molded with his. 

You gasped loudly at his sudden boldness. 

He leaned his head down and you felt his lips brush against your ear, “Please tell me you want me as badly as I want you.” 

A shiver ran up your spine. 

“I don’t mean to be so forward, but I have to know. If you don’t, we can pretend this never happened and I’ll behave, but I have to know. I need to know.” 

Your mind was felt as if it was going a thousand miles per hour as you processed what he was saying.

Yes, of course you wanted him. God, you wanted him in every way he would allow you to have him. 

But what about your rules? Are you really going to throw them away? 

You had to decide. 

“I do want you Flip”. 

Failure is a part of the process. Right?

A silent moment passed between the two of you. You were on edge wondering what his next move would be. 

He buried his face into the crook of your neck and took a deep breath in. His fingers dug into your hips and pulled you closer against his body. You leaned your head back onto his shoulder and reached around to grab his bulge, but his hand caught yours. 

“Let me take care of you first angel. You’re soaked to the bone and I can’t have you getting sick on me”. 

You were shocked by his response. 

Take care of you?

“Where is your bathroom?”

“Uhm, at the end of the hall”. 

Flip twisted you around so you were facing him and lifted your chin with his finger, allowing you to look directly into his hazel eyes. 

“I’m going to light the fireplace. Now, listen very carefully to me, I want you to go to the bathroom, run a bath, and undress yourself. Stand there and wait for me. I’ll be in when I’m done.” 

“But-“

“No buts.”

He released his grip on your hips and you stood there. 

Was this actually happening? 

You pinched yourself hard on your forearm and felt pain. Yes, okay. This was actually happening. You looked across your living room to see Flip looking at you intently.  
“Didn’t I give you orders angel.” 

“Uh, yes, sorry”, you felt your cheeks burn with embarrassment and you scurried down to the bathroom. 

You sat on the end of the tub, flicked on the water, and adjusted it to a hot setting. Just below boiling was your usual preference. You stood and froze when you realized…  
Flip was going to see you naked. 

No one had seen you naked in nearly a year. You barely looked at yourself naked. Were you ready for this? For him to look at your flaws head on? 

Fear piled in the pit of your stomach and a cold sweat formed on the back of your neck. You gripped the sink for support and breathed deeply. You felt the anxiety hitting you like it was a ton of bricks. This was all happening so fast. Sex in the dark was one thing, but what he was doing was alien to you. No man had ever wanted to take care of you or look out for your wellbeing. No man had put that before sex. 

Was he a man? 

A knock came from the bathroom door.

“Angel? Can I come in?”

“Uh, sure , please don’t be mad, I- I’m still dressed.”

The doorknob twisted and he peered into the bathroom. His brow fell into a look of concern and he rushed to your side. 

He placed a hand on the small of your back and the other on your cheek. “Is everything okay?” 

“This is all just happening so fast. So much faster than I anticipated considering I was planning on ignoring you for the rest of my life.”

He smiled down to you, “Ignoring me huh? I hope you know that will be a lot harder to do now.” His smile faded, “I shouldn’t have rushed you like that. I’m sorry.”

“It’s okay. I just-.” You frowned deeply and looked down at the tiled ground. “I’ve never been in a position like this before.” 

“What do you mean?”

You looked up at him shyly, “uh, how do I put this… no man has ever put taking care of me in front of fucking me.” 

“Well that is changing angel because all I have ever wanted to do was take care of you from the moment I laid eyes on you.”

Your heart swelled and chest grew warm with sentiment, and caution. He didn’t even know you. He didn’t know your hard edges and deeply cut scars. Your background and fucked up family. Your past and your embarrassments. He didn’t know you now, the you who was trying to repent and make anew. 

But he did see one thing, your deep hidden need to be seen. The need you had buried inside of you and locked away. 

You crashed your lips to his and firmly pressed your body to his. Flip was surprised by your sudden forwardness, but soon melted and kissed you back deeper.  
The connection you two were forming was intense. The kiss felt like it was going on for hours when in reality it had been less than a minute. No one had ever kissed you like he was in that moment. Flip’s lips were soft and warm against yours as he led the kiss. His tongue slipped into your mouth and you rejoiced when you got a taste of him, it made you feel carnal and cause your clit to tingle with want. His hand moved from your cheek and into your hair pulling your face closer to his, while his other moved to your ass and gripped it hard. You faintly moaned at his movements and felt him push the two of you backwards until your spine was flat against the open wall. He pressed into you and you felt his bulge against your thigh, his cock felt thick and sturdy making you fantasize about the things he would do to you with it. The need for his pleasure was growing rapidly in your womb and all you could think of was getting him inside of you. You trailed your hands across his broad shoulders, down his firm chest, and went to reach for his zipper, but again, his hand caught yours before you could complete the action. 

He broke away from the kiss and looked down on you with a devilish grin across his face. “Tsk, tsk, tsk, you like to rush angel. I want to take my time with you. Take your bath and meet me in the living room when you are done. Take as long as you need.” He pecked your lips, pulled himself away and walked out of the bathroom. 

Shit. He really liked to remind you that he was in control. It made you feel like a sex crazed maniac. And you were for him. 

You stood against the wall for a minute and recollected your thoughts. You wondered if you would regret this later. Regret allowing yourself to give into him. But there was really no use in stressing over the future, you had to focus on the present. 

And presently there was an intoxicating detective ordering you to take a bath. 

You stripped and entered the warm tub. You hissed as the warm water hit your frozen limbs and it took slow movements before you were able to completely submerge yourself. You laid your head back against the tub brim and took in deep breaths. 

You were too impatient to stay in the bath for long and pulled yourself out once you felt like you had properly thawed. The bathroom tile was icy as you stepped onto it and reached for your robe. You pulled it tightly around you, securing the belt with a tight bow, and went to open the door with a slow turn of the knob. 

You took a deep breath and stepped into the hall. Your mind was dizzy with questions of what was awaiting you in the next room. You slowly walked down the hallway and peered around the corner into the living room. 

Flip was standing in front of the fireplace warming his hands, and only donning his Levi jeans. His back was turned away from you, so you weren’t able to see his face. You stood there quietly and admired his statuesque form. He was a beautifully built man who obviously took care of himself. His back was wide and appeared firm with an array of scattered freckles. His jeans hung low on his hips, tempting you to go over and slip them off. You wondered how he had the time to work out considering the life of a detective was usually a hectic one. The other detectives at the precinct looked worn out and sickly when you had seen them, but not Flip. 

“It’s rude to stare angel.”

How did he…

“Come here.”

You cautiously padded over to where he stood and placed yourself next to him. You stared into the crackling fire and placed your hands out to warm them. His arm snaked itself around your waist and tugged you against his side. 

It was comforting having him so close, but you were still questioning what would happen tonight. 

Would he take you for himself? Did you want that?

As if he read your mind, Flip turned your body, so you and he were facing each other, chest to chest. 

He placed a gentle kiss on your lips and his fingers began to play with the belt of your robe. 

“I want you Flip.”

“I know angel, but not tonight.”

“What? I thought you-”

“I do, but I am not going to allow either of us rush into this. I already made that mistake earlier. I want you to be sure you want me not only now, but later. Without any doubt. I want you to trust me with you. And I want to know who you are.”

You didn’t know how to respond. Of course, you wanted him now. But he was right, you had just had a panic attack about the thought of him seeing you naked. You might have been physically ready, but mentally you were weak with fear and insecurity. He saw right through you. 

You looked down solemnly and nodded yes. 

Flip pulled you into a hug and you sighed with relief. He was such a comfort to you already and you didn’t even know him. 

Your mind wandered to the thought of where you and he would go from here… 

/////////////////////////////  
A/N: Wowza. This has been a long week for me with work and school, but I love how this chapter came out. I know I said this story would have smut in it, and it will eventually, but I really value plot and character development in stories so I am trying to keep this in that direction. Plus, it makes the story much more enjoyable to write. 

As always, comments and criticism encouraged! 

Lots of love -C.


	5. Mountains and Branches

You laid in your bed, wide awake, and staring at the ceiling. 

Last night Flip had confessed his feelings, you confessed yours, and nothing happened. After his sweet kiss of sexual refusal, you changed out of your robe and into something more appropriate, and the two of you made dinner. You never would have thought him a man with culinary suave, but alas he surprised you by pulling off a lovely dinner with what you had at home. 

He talked about how his mother prepared his sister and he for anything that would come at them in life. Especially for occurrences like food shortages, where using what you had was imperative. His parents had lived through World War 2, a time when nothing was guaranteed, and everything was in limited quantities. In turn they gave their children the tools to survive in any situation. Flip knew how to cook with just about anything, he was a pro at camping and wilderness survival due to his boy scout training (you noted that you would have to get your hands on some pictures of him in his scout uniform if you got the chance), and he knew how to cultivate his own garden if he ever needed to. He sounded like superman and still you were not sure he was a man at all…

You, however, had grown up in survival mode the majority of your life. Just getting by from day to day. The only skills you had were fierce organization, procrastination, and escapism (in which you were a master). Your parents had prepared you for the harshness of the world, and none of the kindness. You knew how to work until you physically couldn’t and be a devote woman of God. You abandoned the devotion as you aged when you realized such a deity couldn’t exist. But you kept your work ethic and allowed it to get you through college in just three years. It was your biggest accomplishment thus far. 

You did not mention any of this the night before. You let Flip go on about his life and you dodged his questions with a question or vague answers per usual.   
Your conscious vied to tell him something, anything, about yourself, but you felt pathetic. You had a sob story life, something to be pitied, and not to be told aloud. 

You didn’t want pity, and as far as you were concerned life had started when you moved to Colorado Springs. 

Flip pushed for more specific answers, and you pushed back with vague lies or half-truths; however, you couldn’t seem to get even your basic lies past him. He knew how to spot a lie from a mile away and you attributed this to his skills as a detective. He must be good at his job. 

Eventually he just eyed you with a look of ‘this is not the end of this conversation’. Hopefully, he would forget about it and be satisfied with the version of you he already had inside of his mind. 

The snowstorm raged outside through the evening, and looked like it was not letting up, so Flip stayed on the couch. It was a bit comical watching him stretch out on the tiny piece of furniture, and the thought of inviting him to sleep with you crossed your mind, but you quickly brushed it away. Flip in your bed would be too much and you weren’t sure you would get any sleep in his presence. 

Him next to you would have tempted you to watch him sleep. To get a chance to lay there and watch his chest rise and fall with each breath. To see if he talked while he slept, wonder if he was dreaming, or to see his facial expressions. 

It would have all been too intimate. 

You decided it was time to crawl out of bed and begin your usual morning routine. The cats where already pawing at the door as you pulled a cardigan on over your pajamas.   
Flip had met the curious one’s last night and they loved him of course. They were all over him as he flitted around the kitchen and he didn’t seem to mind them under his feet. One of your older brothers, David, would nearly kick them when they did stuff like that back home. You thanked the universe he was a cat person, and not an asshole.

You slowly tiptoed into the living room to see Flip still asleep, only this time he had made himself a nest on the floor in front of the fireplace. A tinge of guilt hit you, he must have been so uncomfortable last night. 

You decided a cup of coffee and breakfast might pacify your guilt. Quietly you made your way into the small kitchen and began the day. Soon coffee wafted through the air and the sound of bacon sizzling on the stove. 

You could hear the rustling of blankets on the ground and Flip groan, “that smells amazing”, he muttered aloud and followed it with a loud yawn. 

You smiled to yourself, “It’s almost done. How do you like your eggs?”

“Runny, please.”

“Eww, runny is so gross.”

“Gross? Who doesn’t like a nice runny egg in the morning?”

“Only crazy people love runny eggs in the morning”, you teased. 

Flip stood up from his nest, and boy was he a sight. His dark hair was in a chaotic mess and his face still droopy with sleep. He stretched his arms high unto the air and you were able to get a peek of his abdomen as his thermal stretched over his chest. He was in decent shape for a detective and a great piece of eye candy. 

A whistle tugged you back to reality and you looked to see Flip eyeing you with a knowing look. You could feel the blush spread across your cheeks and you went back to attending breakfast before it burned. 

He walked over to the coffee pot on the stove and poured himself a mugful, he seemed right at home in your kitchen. You liked it. It felt like you were finally sharing a bit of your paradise with someone. 

“Then by your logic, I must be insane angel.”

You looked up at him as he took a cautious sip of his coffee and smiled. “You must be if you think a runny egg is good.”

Flip looked back down at you. “Maybe I’ll have to tie you down and make you eat one to prove you wrong.” 

Tie you down? 

Yes, maybe he would need to tie you down… for science. 

Your heartbeat grew faster and that waning blush grew deeper, now you knew you looked like a ripe tomato. He looked down on you with a look of yearning and your condition only worsened as you mirrored his feelings. His presence was suffocating you as he searched your face for something, maybe a hint that this was becoming too much for you. It wasn’t too much though, it was intoxicating, and a part of you wanted more of it. 

But of course, this would have to be postponed. 

You felt a sneeze form in your sinuses, and you broke the eye contact to relieve it in your sleeve. 

“How did you sleep? It wasn’t too cold for you was it?”, Flip said with a bit of concern tinged in his voice. 

“A little colder than usual, but my toes are intact, so I think I’ll be okay. I feel a bit guilty now knowing you slept on the floor.” 

“Are you kidding? Sleeping on the floor is nothing for me. Yours isn’t half bad either.”

“I’ll take that as a compliment then”, you laughed quietly. 

Flip placed his mug on the counter and took a long step forward to stand next to you as you fried his eggs. He shifted and placed himself directly behind you, wrapping his arms around your waist and placing his chin on top of your head. He pulled you back gently and your body was flush against his. 

“For someone who hates runny eggs it sure looks like you know how to cook one.”

“What, like its hard?”, you were grinning widely, “I used to make these for my brothers in the morning. They love runny eggs.”

“You must have a pretty crazy family then. What are your brothers like?”

You froze. You had not mentioned your brothers to anyone before. You had internally made a deal with yourself that you wouldn’t, and yet you had done it so easily with him.   
He must have felt you go rigid beneath him. Flip pulled the spatula you were holding out of your hand and placed it on the counter next to you. He spun you around slowly so that you were facing him and pulled you against him in a hug. 

“You’ll have to tell me about them someday.”

“I’m sorry-“

“There is nothing to be sorry for. I know you have your secrets and don’t worry, I have mine too angel.”

He was wrong, you had everything to be sorry for. You left them behind. You left them on the farm and didn’t look back. You should have been a better sister and taken them with you, even if they resisted. Instead you ran like a coward. 

You pulled away. 

“Your eggs are done”, you uttered in a monotone voice and turned around to face the stove. 

Flip said your name and you ignored him as you focused intently on the task of finishing breakfast. You turned to move towards the sink, and he caught your hand with his.   
You stopped and stared ahead; you were too afraid to look at him. You didn’t want him to see you cry. To see you as weak. Especially when he didn’t know why you were crying. Vulnerability was never your strong point, you barely cried when you were alone. 

The warmth from his hand was slowly seeping up through your arm and directly to the core of your chest. He was melting you with his concern, and your will could not stop the first tear from falling.

You bit the inside of your cheek to stop the impending storm that wanted to breach your composition. You willed yourself to not cry. Crying would do nothing in this moment for you. 

You promptly wiped it away with the end of your sleeve and put on a small smile. You turned back to Flip. 

“Don’t let your eggs get cold. I’m gonna go and shower.”

“Are you alright?”

“Peachy.”

You briskly walked past him and made your way to the bathroom. You shut the door, flicked the lock, and placed your back against it. You slide down to the door until your ass made contact with the cold tiled floor. 

The tears flooded out quietly, and you felt more pathetic than ever. Usually your composure was much better, you chalked it up to your period for the overload of emotions. It was a cheap get out of jail card for your ego. 

Would you ever tell him your secrets? It was a ridiculous thought. 

The two of you just met. 

But the connection you were feeling was unlike anything you had felt before. 

You felt alive, like you had been in a dormant sleep and his abrupt entry into your life was like the kiss prince charming had given to sleeping beauty.   
You wondered if he felt it too. 

He must have if he confessed that he wanted you, but men will go to great lengths to get a desired fuck. They can be sweet, endearing, giving, the perfect man. 

And then they will bail, vanish without a trace, and leave you wilted.   
Was he this kind of man? 

He didn’t seem like it, but you knew looks were deceiving. 

You didn’t have to decide now. You would feel him out and then you could make a rational decision. 

You would just have to make sure he stays out of your bed until then. 

/////////////////////////////

I feel like such a shit human being for not posting this in a timely fashion. College life and corona have been much more difficult to handle than expected, so my posts will be scattered. I have so many ideas and chapters in my head for this story and they will come, just slowly. 

Thanks to all who are still reading. 

Lots of love -C.


	6. Favors

You stepped inside the shower and hissed as the nearly boiling water hit your chest. The pain was a welcomed friend that relieved something deep and dark inside of you. Even now as an adult you had always thought about harming yourself to prove you could still feel. 

As if the pain inflicted would remove the demons that swam in your blood and filled the spaces in your mind. That one cut or burn here would pacify their need, your need, to feel as though you could breathe again. Then, just maybe, you could become more of a person instead of this shell you had created for yourself. 

But that is the funny thing about the demons, no matter how hard you hurt yourself or those around you, there is no getting rid of them. No aid. No relief . No exorcism. They were always there to stay. 

You wondered if the man in the next room had any demons. The boy scout who saved peoples lives and redeemed the wronged. What lied beneath that rugged exterior? Was his soul as shiny as you had perceived it? 

Or was he hollow like you? A pretender. Someone full of self-doubt and loathing. Someone just trying to find who they were. 

It was better for you to believe he was different. That the darkness inside of you was not reaching for the darkness in him. That instead the tiny glimmer of light that you had been creating inside yourself was the link. 

You fought with yourself as you showered and cleaned the long day off of your skin. It seemed as though your thoughts roamed freely as you completed your steps of washing and cleansing. And while your body was physically relieved and relaxed, your mind ran wild. 

The biggest fight thus far was whether fooling around with Flip was a sound idea. You had just escaped. You were far from home, but how far was far enough? Would they find you eventually? Would he tie you here and face the pain of your past if they did? 

No. You would not let him. Or anyone for that matter. 

Your glimmer became melancholy. It seemed as if happiness could be in the room next to you if you chose, but it was too much of a risk. For the both of you.   
You finished your shower and stepped out into the steamy room. Wrapping your rope firmly around your waist and putting your hair into a twist with a t-shirt you then reached for the handle to let yourself out of the suffocating fog. Your hand was wrinkled, and you wondered how long you had argued with yourself while showering. From the look of it, it must have been a while. 

As you opened the door you peaked out into the hallway and then slowly padded into the living room to catch a glimpse of Flip. 

He was not there. You scanned the kitchen from your position and saw nothing resembling a tall and gorgeous man there either. 

“Flip?”, you called out into the empty space. 

Nothing. 

Your nerves began to get the best of you and a small pit formed in your stomach. 

You turned towards your bedroom and slowly opened the door. Would he really go in here? You peaked your head in and saw nothing, again. 

No Flip. 

You wandered back into the living room and then into a kitchen. A plate with foil over it was placed on the counter next to the stove and had a folded piece of paper on top. 

You opened the paper and felt the pit that had formed in your stomach dissolve, he had left you a note. 

Angel,   
Sorry I couldn’t stay. Thank you for making me breakfast. I figured I would return the favor. I called my guy Everett at the tow shop and he will bring your car by sometime today.   
P.S. – I left you my coat until you can get a better replacement. It’s big, but at least I know you won’t freeze to death. And DO NOT try and return it, that’s an order.   
Flip

Your heart fluttered a little, but soon a feeling of dread filled its place. 

Why would he do this? He barely knew you and yet he was going out of his way to make sure you did not freeze to death. 

Flip is either a really good guy, or really good at getting women in his bed. 

And honestly at this point it wouldn’t take a lot for you to crawl in if he asked. 

Ugh, pathetic. 

Sure enough Everett showed up with his tow truck just shy of nightfall. He had changed out the flat with a new tire and when you went to pay, he turned the money down saying he had already been paid. By Flip. 

You were grateful he had done it considering you were broker than broke until they handed out your check next week. However, this meant you would owe him, big. 

It would make it a lot easier if you knew what the man liked besides cigarettes and runny eggs. He did not seem like the man who would enjoy a fruit basket or soaps. Or even gifts at all. 

Maybe you would have to do a little investigating yourself. Starting with the only other cop you even knew, Matty. 

The heels of your boots clacked along the linoleum tile as you trudged your way up to the third floor. Matty had mentioned that he was shadowing an officer up here and would be for the rest of the week. 

You had hoped they would actually be up there and not out patrolling because these stairs were a killer on your calves, meaning you would not be making this trip again in the near future. 

Once to the top you pushed open the doors that led to a large open office space filled with desks and tired officers with mountains of paperwork on their desk. 

The old door made a large slam as you stepped inside, and your anxiety skyrocketed as every man in the room snapped their head up to observe who had just entered their domain. 

You smiled nervously and scanned the room for his signature crew cut. 

Bingo. 

You clacked over and stood in front of the desk with a wide smile. 

Matty was so immersed in filing out the paperwork in front of him that he had not noticed your grand entrance just a moment ago. 

You cleared your throat and knocked on the desk simultaneously to get his attention.

With that, Matty nearly jumped out of his chair. 

You laughed at his boisterous reaction and he glared daggers at you. He looked around sheepishly at the officers who had been watching our little interaction. 

“Damn woman you can not be sneaking up on a guy like that!” 

“Hey hey hey, it is not my fault you were stuck in la-la land. Besides, how did you end up with this much paperwork so soon? Arresting people for jay-walking now?”

“Ugh, don’t even get me started. This shithead I’m shadowing just makes me do his files all day. I haven’t been in the field in almost two weeks.”

“Awww poor Matty. But do not fret, I come to whisk you away to a magical land.”

He huffed, crossed his large arms over his puffed chest and leaned back into the chair. “And what would this magical land be my lady?”

You grinned, “Freddy’s”. 

His eyes widened and an even larger grin spread across his face. 

“Now you are speaking my language girl!”

Freddy’s was the only decent burger joint in town, and it was the only place in probably the whole state that served these things called garbage plates. The owner, Freddy, was a New Yorker who had brought the so-called delicacy to Colorado Springs and thus making anyone in a thirty-mile radius fall in love with him and the food. 

The smell of beer and grease hit your face as you entered through the dated wooden doors that had seen many good nights. It had almost become a comforting smell to you even though you had only spent a handful of your own good nights here. 

A warm feeling filled your chest as you looked across the table at your friend. You never thought you would get something like this, and with a man at that. 

“So, Matthew, I need your help.”

He looked at you curiously as he sipped his beer. “Oh no, you used my full name. This cannot be good.” 

“You know Flip kinda well right?”, you asked as you twisted your fingers and smiled awkwardly. A part of you hated asking about him, but once you could repay the favor then you would be rid of him. 

He eyed you suspiciously and slowly a wide smile spread across his face. “You have a thing for Flip fucking Zimmerman, don’t you?!” 

“NO”, you yelped in panic, “I, well, uh, he helped me and I want to repay the favor.” 

“Helped you? You mean like-“ and he raised his eyebrows in a suggestive manor. 

“Matty, NO. He helped me out of the snowstorm when I was stranded on the side of the road. He also may have stayed over… and given me his coat until further notice.” 

His jaw dropped. “He STAYED OVER.” 

You glared at him, “Don’t make me repeat myself. And besides nothing happened. He was a gentleman and slept in the living room.” 

Matty settled down and sighed loudly. He looked down into his beer a swirled the liquid in the glass before speaking again.

“Flip is… emotionally available in all aspects of life other than being a detective.” 

Emotionally unavailable? 

Flip? 

“Emotionally unavailable or not, that is not my current intention with the man. I just want to know what I can do for him, to pay him back. What does he like?”

“Why are you so set on repaying the favor to him?”

“It’s just something I do. I don’t want it hanging it over my head”.

He eyed you suspiciously. “I don’t know the man that well. His father was buddies with mine for a while before we moved to Pueblo. Flip was older than me and barely hung around. All I knew is that he would get into trouble now and again with his friends, but that all stopped when he decided to become a cop. He was nice enough to put in a good word with the chief for me due to our father’s relationship, but other than that I know zip. Hell, you probably know more than me by now”, he finished with a wink. 

You leaned over the table and slapped him on the arm. He yelped and cradled his arm feigning that it hurt. 

You laughed at his expression, but then became solemn as his words sunk in. 

You were back at square one. 

It was stupid to want to pay back the favor he had bestowed upon you, but the weight of it over your head was looming and felt dangerous. You did not know the man or his intentions. Yes, he had made it apparent he wanted you, and thus far he was kind and gentle. Your past had taught you that favors can easily be held over another’s head, and that it worked like an unwritten code. A favor for a favor. 

You finished lunch with Matty and as you walked back to your car you could not help but wonder if Flip was luring you in like a lamb for the slaughter. 

How far would he go to get you?

**Author's Note:**

> Feedback would be awesome!!  
> Lots of love, -C.


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